Page 57 of The Tracker's Secret

“You mean for getting you all hot and bothered?”

I narrowed my eyes at her.

She laughed and sat in the chair Jake had just vacated. “You guys didn’t eat much, huh?” She gestured toward the burgers and fries we’d barely touched.

I sprang to my feet and began picking up all the wasted food, wrapping the torn paper bag all around it. I threw it all in the garbage can and pushed it away from the desk. Later, I would take it outside and throw it in the dumpster. The smell of food wafting from under my desk always bothered me, plus I didn’t want to accidentally leave it overnight to rot.Ew!

I sat back down, wringing my hands. “He said... he said ‘I love you.’”

Rosalina’s mouth dropped open. “Holy crap, Triple T.”

“I know.”

“So did you tell him you’re a... you know. Does that mean you guys...?”

I shook my head and spoke in a whisper. “I need to know more before I take that leap. He still wants to keep the promise he made to his father, and I’m not sure I’m ready to become a puppy factory.” I heaved a sigh. “I can tell it’s hard for him. I hadn’t really seen that before. Maybe I didn’t want to admit it.”

“God, what a heart job!”

“Huh?”

“You know, like when you say ‘what a mind job’ but in this case, it’s a ‘heart’ instead.”

“O-kay.”

“Never mind. It sounded cool in my head.”

Trying to forget about the “heart job” and all the other “jobs” that sprung to mind too, I changed topics and told her what I’d learned about rhabo. She listened with rapt attention, her green eyes getting wider and wider with every new bit of information, and they almost popped out when I shared what I’d learned about Damien.

“Maybe you should cancel your date,” I said tentatively.

“Like you’re going to cancel yours with Eric?”

“Touché.”

“I, at least, have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I like Damien, Toni.” She bit her lower lip, looking embarrassed and worried by the admission.

“Of course you do, what is there not to like?”

“Right?” She pondered for a moment, then asked, “Doyoubelieve he created the drug?”

An idea occurred to me, but immediately I felt like a jerk for coming up with it.

“What?” she asked, noticing my change in expression.

“Nothing.”

“I know it’s not nothing.”

“It’s just a stupid idea.”

“Spit it out.”

I wiggled in my chair. “What if Damien did create rhabo? And what if he has an antidote? Maybe you could find out.”

“You mean spy on him?”

I shrugged one shoulder. “I told you it was a stupid idea.”